New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-15
FOUR YEARS FOR SHARP.
FINED FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
JUDGE BARRETTs SEVERE WORDS TO TIN
AGED CONVICT.

JUDGE BARRETTS SEVERE WORDS TO THH
AGED CONVICT.
ONLY TWO GROUNDS FOR MERCY, Snaps Aol
AND HIS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. INVOLVED IN
TIE OLD MANS CRIME-rHE PRISONER
TAKEN BACK TO LUDLOW STREET
JAH-A STAY OF PRooEEDNGs-
TO sINo SING EARLY NEXT
WEEK. NO DOUBT.
jacob Sharp was yesterday sentenced by Judge
Barrett to four years ct hard labor In the State
Prison and to pay fine Of $4,000. The prisoner
was moro exhausted than on Wednesday and pro-
sented In court the appearance Of physically
broken-down old man. He was returned to Ludlow
Street Jail Subsequently Judge Potter granted .
stay Of proceedings returnable Monday next. II II
the purpose of Sheriff Grant to remove Sharp
to the Tombs II he rallies sufficiently from his
prostration to warrant him In doing 90 without
danger Of the final collapse Of the prisoner.
Sharp was thoroughly exhausted by the heat
of Wednesday and his trip to the courtroom.
The humid atmosphere continued through the
night, and 1t was far into the morning hours
when he fell into his first sleep. Even this was
restless and he moaned and tossed upon his bed.
by the side of which sat his faithful wife tanning
him. Toward daybreak, however, he sank into o
deep sleep from which he did not awake until
wife assisted him In dressing. Then he seated
himself in his easy chair and Mrs. Sharp brushed
his hair and beard and arranged his necktie. A
glass Of milk was brought to him he tried ia
drink 1t but could not, and it remained untasted.
In hstless sort Of way he sat blinking, while
his lower jaw hung feebly upon his chest. About
half past o'clock his daughter, Mrs. selmes,
arrived and took her station by his side to relieve
her mother. Shortly afterward Mr.. Selnies and
Sharp's coachman reached the Jail, and were
admitted to the prisoners room.
In the meantime crowd had begun to congre-
gate in the street under the window of Sharp's
room, and about the entrance to the Jail.
couple Of policemen appeared and kept the crowd
under proper control At ii :23 o'clock Under
Sheriff Sexton and Deputy Curran drove up to
the prison door In o carriage. They quickly
entered the building and In less than ten minutes
came out with the prisoner, accompanied by his
wife and coachman, together with Warden keat-
ing. Sharp appeared more feeble than ever, and
was literally carried out by the coachman and
Deputy Curran, who kept him In o perpendicular
attitude by firmly grasping him by the arms
under the shoulders. The crowd OF curious
people was driven back and the carriage started
rapidly toward the Court House. At III 10
o'clock it drew up at the Chambersst. entrance,
where large crowd had gathered. Slowly and
gently the aged convict was assisted to the
pavement and the procession moved with great
deliberation toward and under the arch beneath
| the great stone steps. through the corridor and
across the rotunda to the Sherif's Office, where
the party rested for few moments before as
cendinc to the floor above.
Extraordinary precautions had been taken 10
avoid the admittance of promscuous crowd u
the courtroom. Shortly after IL o'clock the
corridors and the rotunda of tho building were
crowded while hundreds lined the Chambers-st.
sidewalks and the steps to get glimpse OF the
notorious prisoner on his way to receive bis
sentence. But the utmost decOrum was observed
and not a word was spoken as he tottered across
the broad sidewalk in full view OF all AT IL :SS
o'clock the courtroom was more than half nlieo
by those who had gained entrance for the purpose
of witnessing the historic scene Among the
spectators were John Russell Young Charles II.
Reed, who was Guiteau's counsel Ira Shafer, ana
MIR Marvin of the Sharp jurors. party OF
! ladies with escort arrived early and secured
sea is to the right Of the bar. As noon approached
the crowd increased until not an inch OF standing
room remained but the crowd was silent and
almost solemn, as II the shadow of the impending
! scene of shame and sorrow had already been
4 thrown over 1t.
| THE OLD MAN ENTERS To HEAR HIS DOOM.
Just as the hands Of the clock stood together
! at IL o'clock there was the sound OF shuibng
feet at the northern entrance to the courtroom
All eyes turned instinctively in that direction
and the picture presented one that can never
| be forgotten. Jacob Sharp, convicted crlmnaI
| and O broken down old man. appeared, with Mr.
Selmes on one side Of him and his private
| coachman on the other, as they supported nm
on his way to the bar of Justice to receive judg-
ment for his misdeeds. His feet scarcely touched
| the floor and his head rolled helplessly between
his uphfted shoulders. Ills mouth was half
opened and his eyes rolled In their little sockets
In q dazed and bewildered way. The usual forid
face of grayish purple cast, the perspiration
| poured In great beads from his bald head ana
down his temples to his checks, while his breath
came in short quick gasps like that OF dying
man. An inch at time the procession moved
along as they turned the two angles In reaching
the chair awaiting him. Behind the prlsonee
walked Mrs. Sharp leaning on the arm OF her
grandson. Her eyes directed toward the
| floor but every now and then she looked up
solcitously at the bent figure Of the wretched
| man in front of her. At last they reached TIE
chair at the end Of the table, where Sharp say
during his trial The old man doubled up his
hands, leaned upon the table and dropped heaye|
into the chair. lie looked up for q few sSDonds
as IL he were just swalfng from horrd <ream
then folding his hands on the table he bfved hia
head upon them. H.
Mrs sharp seated herself at his left bile Mrs.
Selmes was seated on the left of Mrs harp. her
grandson sitting on her right. Ihq anncted
woman looked for moment ut her h0 0soand In
the despairing attitude which he had essumed
then her compOsure abandoned her. fr bosom
heaved her form shook, and bursting Rto tears
she covered her face with her handkerchief and
wept bitterly. But it was only temporary OUT
burst of emotion that she was unable TO control
Soon she dried her eyes and began to fan her
husband, while the coachman performed the same
office on the other side Of the prisoner. Ihe
ewes of many persons glistencd with tears OK
pity as they looked upon the touching picture
After a few minutes Mr. Scmes handed Sharp
some medicine in porcelain spoon and the OLD
man took It, Just at this time ex-Judge Nelson
entered and approaching the prisoner took his
[ hand but said nothing Soon Mr.. Stickney ap-
| .aa.al and ha uas nnickly followed by Ne.